Childhood reminiscences

Off I went to pack my things in a huff to my room, not heeding to my parent’s call. I was just three years old then. My aunt was visiting us and the affection she showed me moved me to such an extent that I wanted to visit her place for a few days. My parents were against this idea as I was too young to take care of myself and they thought that I would be a burden on my aunt who had three little kids to care for. “ I am a grown-up girl to take care of myself!” so saying, I took my stand firmly with a shabbily packed backpack by my side, all set to go. My dear Aunt was more than willing to take me with her. With a heavy heart, they had yielded to my stubbornness.

You see, I only moved well with my aunt and not with my dear cousins and uncle. My aunt worked the night shift and it did not occur to me what I would do when she was away. Only after reaching her house did I realise that my parents were no longer around.

I always followed my aunt wherever she went. She tried her best to make me play with her children but I had felt at home only with my aunt. Eventually, I had to face the inevitable – my lovely aunt going to work. She tried her best to pacify me, but my little heart was not prepared for this and my eyes gave way to tears. Her house was near a railway line. She consoled me by saying that she would be back home before the tenth train passed by. You see! She knew that I could not count. As she was on a night shift, she had expected me to doze off soon. I, on the other hand, though I could not count, I sat near the window, watching trains pass to and fro almost the whole night. Somehow, I could not control my sleep and had, at last, dozed off in the wee hours of the morning.

The next day when I opened my eyes, much to my joy, I could hear the voices of my parents in the drawing hall. I rushed and we had a tearful reunion. My mother and father knew me inside out. Though I could put up a brave front, it did not last long. I learnt a nice lesson-- and that was to listen to my parents, but everyone learns this the hard way.